Thursday, June 18, 2009

THE NAME GAME--NAMING OUR MEN

I am a collector of names. Have been, ever since I was a kid. Probably because I always wished for a different one, myself. Mine wasn’t really exotic, but it was…different. Cheryl. My parents decided on the pronunciation of “Chair-yl” rather than the more common way of saying it. The way a million other people sad it…with a “SH” sound, “Sheryl,” rather than the hard “CH” sound.

So when I began writing, I knew my characters had to have ‘good’ names—names that fit. Names that weren’t too strange, but not too common. Names that were appropriate for the time period, the setting, and the culture.

The hero, of course, had to have a name that was also something that could be whispered by the heroine in the throes of passion, yet something that would be tough enough on the villain’s lips to strike a modicum of fear in his heart, just by uttering it.

Because I was writing historical western romance, I decided to pull up a chart that would give me an accurate “slice of life”—possible names for my heroes. According to US Social Security records, the top ten names for men in 1880 were: John, William, James, Charles, George, Frank, Joseph, Thomas, Henry, and Robert.

Okay, I could maybe work with the top four. In fact, the first book I ever wrote was about a gunslinger of this time period called ‘Johnny Starr.’

And William could be shortened to ‘Will’—still masculine; but never ‘Willie.’ James—very masculine, and unwittingly, calls up the rest of the line—‘Bond. James Bond.’ At least, it does for me. I could even go with Jamie. Charles is pushing it. George, Frank, and Joe are names I have and would use for a minor character, but I’d never use those for my hero. They’re somehow just too ordinary. Thomas? Again, a great secondary character name, but not a show-stopper. Henry…eh. And Robert is just ‘okay.’

I fast-forwarded a hundred years to 1980. Here are the top 10: Michael, Christopher, Jason, David, James, Matthew, Joshua, John, Robert, and Joseph. Four of the same names were there, though not in the same poll position. By 2008, only William remained in the top 10. John had fallen to #20, James to #17, Joseph to #13. The others had been replaced, not all by modern names, but most in the top 10 were surprisingly “old fashioned.”

This told me something. If you aren’t too wild with the names you choose, you have quite a lot of choices! We know that Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Daniel, and Matthew were Biblical names. Just because they weren’t on the “top 10” list in 1880 doesn’t mean they weren’t being used—a lot!

Another source of names for that time period is family records. If you go back through old family documents, it’s amazing to find some of the odd names that cropped up.

Still maybe not ‘protagonist’ material, but your secondary characters could benefit. And who knows? You may find the perfect ‘hero’ name!

No matter what you choose, remember these rules, too:

1. Sound and compatibility—Say your character’s name aloud. Does the first name go well with the last name you’re using? Be careful about running the name together—“Alan Nickerson” or “Jed Dooly” aren’t good choices. Avoid rhyming names such as “Wayne Payne”—and try to stay away from cutesy names that might make your hero the focus of ridicule.

2. Uniqueness—I’m sure my parents were only trying to be ‘unique’ by pronouncing my name differently than the other 99.9% of the people in the world would automatically say it, but you don’t want your hero to have such an odd name that readers trip over it every time they come to it. Louis L’Amour was a master at coming up with ‘different’ names that were simple. Hondo Lane, Ring Sackett, Shalako, Conagher…and the list goes on.

3. Genealogy—Does it play into your characters’ storyline? If so, you may want to come up with a neat twist somehow on a common name. In my first manuscript, the gunfighter, Johnny Starr, is named for his father, but the names are reversed. His father was Thomas Jonathan Brandon. He is known as Thomas in the story. Johnny was named Jonathan Thomas Brandon. He goes by Johnny. This keeps a theme alive in my story of the ‘fathers and sons’ of this family, and their relationships. It weighs heavily, because Thomas is dying, but Johnny doesn’t know it. They’ve been estranged for many years.

When Johnny’s own son is born, his wife, Katie, changes the name they’ve decided on just before the birth. She makes Johnny promise to name him after himself and his father, Thomas Jonathan, bringing the circle around once more, and also completing the forgiveness between Johnny and his dying father.

4. Meaning—This might somehow play into your story and is good to keep track of. What do your characters’ names mean? This is a great tool to have at your disposal when you are writing—it can be a great conversation piece somewhere, or explain why your villain is so evil.

5. Nicknames and initials—this can be more important than you think. You may need to have your hero sign something or initial something. Don’t make him be embarrassed to write his initials and don’t give him a name that might be shortened to an embarrassing nickname.

In my book, Fire Eyes, the protagonist has an odd name—Kaedon Turner. I gave him an unusual first name to go with a common last name. I learned later that Caden, shortened to Cade, though not common for the time was not unheard of. Kaedon, shortened to Kaed, was just a different variation. It sets him apart from the other marshals, and emphasizes his unique past in a subtle way.

Below are some excerpts from Fire Eyes, available now through TWRP, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. I hope you enjoy!

EXCERPTS FROM FIRE EYES:

Marshal Kaed Turner has just been delivered to Jessica’s doorstep, wounded and unconscious by the Choctaw Indians. This is part of their first conversation, Kaed’s introduction.

“Just pull.” Her patient moistened his lips. “Straight up. That’s how it went in.”She wanted to weep at the steel in his voice, wanted to comfort him, to tell him she’d make it quick. But, of course, quick would never be fast enough to be painless. And how could she offer comfort when she didn’t even know what to call him, other than Turner?

Jessica reached for the tin star. Her fingers closed around the uneven edges of it. No. She couldn’t wait any longer. “What’s your name?” Her voice came out jagged, like the metal she touched.

His bruised eyes slitted as he studied her a moment. “Turner. Kaedon Turner.”Jessica sighed. “Well, Kaedon Turner, you’ve probably been a lot better places in your life than this. Take a deep breath and try not to move.”He gave a wry chuckle, letting his eyes drift completely closed. “Do it fast. I’ll be okay.”

She nodded, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “Ready?”

“Go ahead.”

*******

From Kaed’s POV—Finding out his “angel’s” name!

“I need to stop the bleeding. You were lucky.”

“One lucky sonofabitch.”

“I meant, because it went all the way through. So we don’t have to…to dig it out.” There was that hesitation again, but he already knew what it was she didn’t want to have to say to him. He said it instead.

“All we have to do is burn it.”

She let her breath out in a rush, as if she’d been holding it, dreading just how she was going to tell him. “Right. Sounds like the voice of experience.”

“Yeah.”

She touched his good arm and he reached up for her, his warm, bronze hand swallowing her smaller one. Her fingers were cold, and he could tell she was afraid, no matter how indifferent she tried to act.

“You’ve got one on me,” he muttered.

“What’s that?”

“Your name. Or, do I just call you angel?”

He felt the smile again, knew he had embarrassed her a little, but had pleased her as well.

He opened his eyes a crack and watched as she gave him a measuring look, her cinnamon gaze holding his probing stare for a moment. “What you’re doin’ for me warrants a little more intimacy, don’t’cha think, Jessica?”

She glanced back down at the seeping wound, worrying her lower lip between even, white teeth. Her auburn hair did its best to escape its bun.

Kaed’s thoughts jumped and swirled as he tried to focus on her, wondering disjointedly how she’d look if she let her hair tumble free and unbound. And her eyes. Beautiful. A man could get lost in the secrets of her eyes.

7 comments:

Hi Cheryl,Enjoyed the naming bit. That's so true. It was brought poignantly home to me by my son-in-law who was taunted as a kid because of his initials. His first name is Ryan and both his middle and last name start with P. He said kids called him Ryan pee-pee. Poor guy. I'll bet his kids will have perfect initials!

Cheryl, I take all that into account when I'm picking a name. Sound, compatiability, and uniqueness all play a part. For "The Hungarian," my couple is "Matthias and Katherine," two names that I think go together well. For "The Count's Lair," I picked "Anton and Amelia." All of the critiera you list, I take into consideration when I'm selecting names. Great post and I loved your excerpt. I think Kaed likes Jessica for her name a lot. hehe

That would be terrible, wouldn't it? There are all kinds of terrible initials out there. I remember being so careful when we named our kids -- I think because I had gone through life correcting people about my name pronuciation until I finally gave up. I just didn't want them to have any of those issues at all.Cheryl

I like your names you chose--they do seem to go together very well, and are good for the setting and the time period, too. It's all so important, isn't it? A lot to think of. Had to laugh about Kaed liking Jessica for her name. My daughter Jessica complains about her name being so common (it was #1 on the list for girls in 1986, the year she was born). But she begged me to name one of my heroines after her. Lo and behold, it was the first book I sold. Appropo, I think. LOL And another weird thing is, a LOT of people think the picture of the girl on the front is HER--even relatives will say, "That's just a great picture of Jessica! Who took that?" It just pleases her no end. Cheryl

Sorry this is such a late response to your comment--I only just now saw it. I'm like you about changing the name if it doesn't fit. Sometimes I will start with a name, only to realize that it doesn't fit the character as his personality begins to come out more and more. I will change it if I don't think it "works."Cheryl

WOLF CREEK: BOOK 1 BLOODY TRAIL

Bill Torrance, Spike Sweeney, Derrick McCain, Charley Blackfeather, G.W. Satterlee, and Logan Munro are common citizens, until the day their small town of Wolf Creek, Kansas, comes under a methodically cruel siege. Led by one of the most brutal men of the post Civil War years, Jim Danby, the outlaw gang that invades Wolf Creek figures they got away clean with murder and bank robbery. But the dwellers of Wolf Creek have secrets of their own, and the posse that goes after Danby and his men are anything but the ordinary people they seemed to be before the attack. They’ll go to any lengths to keep their town safe, no matter how long they have to follow the BLOODY TRAIL.

TEMPTATION'S TOUCH

Two broken hearts find a second chance at love, but only if they manage to survive– When Kendi Morgan witnesses an attempted murder near her home one night, she makes the only choice possible: help the victim. But bringing the handsome stranger into her home traps her in the middle of a deadly drug war.

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FIRE EYES

GET THE BREATHTAKING FULL LENGTH VERSION!

Marshal Kaed Turner is given a rare second chance at love with the mysterious woman the Choctaw call “Fire Eyes.” But can he quiet the ghosts from his past and protect the love that was stolen from him once before? There’s only one way: Kill outlaw Andrew Fallon, along with the murdering band of men he leads.

TIME PLAINS DRIFTER

Cover by JESSICA PIERSON

WELCOME TO CHERYL PIERSON BOOKS!

Welcome to my Cheryl Pierson Books blog where once a week I will try to post a somewhat coherent and helpful blog entry about writing fiction. Please come by often and let me know what you like/dislike and would enjoy seeing more of. This is not a blog about my daily life and how many loads of laundry I must do before I write my next scene. Hopefully, this blog will prove to be worthy of the time you spend reading and the time I spend writing. Jump in and let me know what you think!

ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWS FIRE EYES

Pierson’s novel conveys the nicely realistic feel of the Old West, wrapped around an enjoyable love story. There’s a modicum of blood and violence, and the secondary characters add a good minor story thread.

Summary: The Choctaw call her Fire Eyes and see her as a healer. When they deliver a criticallywounded man to widow Jessica Monroe, she knows she has to help him. The man, whom she soon discovers is Marshal Kaed Turner, slowly regains his strength and begins thinking that settling down might not be so bad. Even after a bad marriage, Jessica hopes Kaed might want to stay. But he’s determined to catch the men that killed a young marshal and caused the death of two Choctaw girls — which ends up putting Jessica and her baby daughter in danger. Susan Mobley

ANOTHER FANTASTIC REVIEW FOR FIRE EYES!

Steph Burkhart gives Fire Eyes a 4.5, wonderful review! Here's what she had to say:

Book Review for “Fire Eyes”Written by: Cheryl Pierson

4.5 Stars

Pierson pens a riveting romance with lush settings and compelling characters in “Fire Eyes.” Set in the American old west just after the Civil War, Pierson submerses the reader in pure action. Kaed Turner is an experienced U.S. Marshal who learns that a younger Marshal has gone after Andrew Fallon, a man whose criminal actions border on insanity. Kaed arrives too late to help Mitch Beckley. Fallon has Mitch hostage, as well as two young native American girls. Kaed is helpless to prevent their deaths. Fallon assaults him and leaves him for dead. Standing Bear, the local Indian chief, finds Kaed, barely alive, and brings him to a white woman known to Indians as “Fire Eyes.”

“Fire Eyes,” is Jessica Monroe, and she lives in a cabin outside of the fort near the Indians. Jessica is raising a baby who was abandoned by her father when her mother died. The Indians bring Kaed to Jessica. She springs into action, nursing him back to life from the brink of death.

Kaed and Jessica fall in love as she’s nursing him. They commit to each other. Kaed’s Marshal friends find him with Jessica. They tell him they are on Fallon’s trail (Fallon has taken two new hostages) and while Kaed isn’t fully healed, he goes with them to find Fallon. Jessica understands, but she’dsconcerned for Kaed’s well-being since he isn’t fully healed.

The Marshals dogged pursuit of Fallon is not without a price. When Kaed learns Jessica’s life his threatened by the ruthless Fallon, he hurries home hoping to prevent the criminal from killing his new family.

Pierson’s writing is crisp and sharp. Her beginning grabs the reader immediately, holding them in the moment. Her dialogue is authentic, evoking the old west with little effort. Pierson’s descriptions are rich with emotional metaphors. Her love scenes are tasteful, full of passion.

Pierson writes in a point of view that shifts between characters within scenes. Known as a “Lonesome Dove” perspective (after the same novel) this point of view can be confusing to readers, however, the romance genre is generally forgiving of it.

Pierson’s characters are real with strengths and weakness that the modern reader can identify with. The supporting cast compliments the main characters. The plot moves fast, unraveling the romance between Kaed and Jessica at break-neck speed. “Fire Eyes” is a story that brings the American west alive. It’s a perfect book to curl up next to the fireplace with, taking the reader on a rich, romantic adventure to the past.

INTERVIEW ON 'THE EXAMINER' FOR FIRE EYES!

Read what I had to on the subject of romance writing, and my favorite hero and heroine, Kaed Turner and Jessica Monroe! Visit Fran Lee's Examiner column below!

TIME PLAINS DRIFTER IS RE-RELEASED WITH A NEW PUBLISHER! Here's a peek at what the story is all about.

The last thing Federal Marshal Rafe d’Angelico expected was to die. And he certainly didn’t intend to become some kind of angel! But when a train robbery goes south and Rafe and his brother, Cris, are both double-crossed and gunned down by fellow marshal Josiah Kemp, that’s exactly what happens. Rafe “wakes up” sixteen years later, facing a future even more uncertain than the one he left behind so abruptly. Becket Jansen, the “angel in charge”, seems unwilling or unable to tell him what to expect. Why has Rafe been “chosen” for this particular task—whatever it might be? Soon enough, answers begin to show themselves—in the very real form of the problem Rafe faces—protecting beautiful young high school teacher Jenni Dalton and seven of her students who have been thrown back in time from 110 years in the future. Their nemesis is a deadly force of evil that Rafe already knows too well—Josiah Kemp. And this time, Kemp is in league with Hell itself.

FIRE EYES Reviewed by Samantha Daniels, CRR

5 wings

Instead of leaving US Marshal Kaed Turner for dead, Choctaw Indians toss him on Jessica Monroe’s doorstep with deadly instructions to keep him alive. This is not the first time she has met such a request, but it is the first time she cares about the outcome.

A woman living alone has much to fear, and her deadliest apprehension now rests in her bed with massive injuries. Keeping the marshal alive is only the beginning. The Indians return with an even more serious demand, one she is uncertain she can oblige.

Cheryl Pierson has secured a fan! If you aren’t fond of westerns, you will be after reading her debut novel, Fire Eyes. And if you love historical westerns, make room on your shelf for a new favorite.

Fire Eyes opens with a gritty setup that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. I was on the edge of my seat and gasping for breath throughout the entire book. The appearance of one character in particular kept me guessing if he was to be trusted. I rooted for Jessica when she met him at the door with a loaded shotgun, but then I chewed on my lip when she invited him into her home. What was she thinking? I did breathe easier when she kept the gun nearby. And when Kaed discovered a connection between Jessica and his own past, I read even faster. I had to know if this information would alter his thoughts. I was not disappointed, and you won’t be either.

Ms Pierson does such a wonderful job with surprises and twists that I went back to reread the book immediately to see all of the hints she sprinkled along the way.

The author’s writing style is so deliciously easy to follow that I finished several chapters without realizing I had turned a page. And the characters, oh, my. Kaed is the kind of character I search for in every book I read, strong and virile but with flaws and weaknesses. Jessica is Kaed’s match in every way, but not in a competitive, I’m-as-macho-as-the-man way. I love it when an author knows how to portray male and female characters that remain true to their gender.

Ms Pierson has done her homework. She delivers a story that is true to the time and setting without making you feel as though you have read a documentary. I hope there are more books in production by this author because I can’t wait to read them.

MORE FANTASTIC REVIEWS FOR FIRE EYES!

Beaten and wounded by a band of sadistic renegades that rules the borderlands of Indian Territory, U.S. Marshal Kaed Turner understands what the inevitable outcome will be for him: death. But Fate and a war party of Choctaw Indians intervene, delivering him instead to a beautiful angel with the skill to heal him. Jessica Monroe has already lost a husband and a brother to the outlaws who tortured Marshal Turner. As the rugged lawman lies bleeding on her bed, she faces a difficult decision. Can she afford to gamble with her heart one last time? For when Kaed recovers, he is sworn to join the other Territorial Peace Officers in their battle to wipe out the renegade gang once and for all. When vengeance is done, will Kaed keep riding? Or will he return to claim his future with the beautiful woman the Choctaw call "Fire Eyes?" Widow Jessica Monroe, named Fire Eyes by the Choctaw chief Standing Bear, earned the Indian’s respect when she stood firm against him and his warriors. Even though he saw the fear in he eyes, he also saw determination and courage burning even brighter in them.Adept at healing, Jessica helps other when she can, but holds herself away from pain, laughter, and love. She and Baby Lexie sense a change in theirs lives when Standing Bear brings the nearly dead Marshal Kaedon Turner to her cabin.Kaedon, in an effort to save Standing Bear’s two granddaughters, takes on a fight he knows he cannot win but one he cannot walk away from either. Tough as a boot, he survives unbelievable abuse before Standing Bear arrives. At Jessica’s his bloodlust subsides when vaguely in his pain-hazed mind he hears her say, “I’m here, I care", then he feels her light kiss. To him "she looked into his soul” and became his Angel. Fire Eyes, full of strong characters, takes the emotions on a rollercoaster ride from unspeakable cruelty of Fallon’s Brigade to the sensual, deep love--soul mate love of Kaedon and Jessica. Kaedon heals too fast for reality, but with all the happenings, one hardly notices because there is too much excitement to be bothered.The secondary story involving Tori and Lily is heart stopping, while the story of Kaedon’s fellow marshals and their loyalty to each other is one that shows a part of human nature so admired, that part that says I am my brother’s keeper.Cheryl Pierson creates a spellbinding story that keeps the reader turning pages.

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FIRE EYES by CHERYL PIERSON

Marshal Kaed Turner is given a rare second chance at love with the mysterious woman the Choctaw call “Fire Eyes.” But can he quiet the ghosts from his past and protect the love that was stolen from him once before? There’s only one way: Kill outlaw Andrew Fallon, along with the murdering band of men he leads. Order your copy on May 29!

A NIGHT FOR MIRACLES by CHERYL PIERSON

When widow Angela Bentley takes in injured ex-gunhawk Nick Dalton and three orphans on Christmas Eve, she is determined only to lend a hand where needed. But when the children drag in a small, scraggly Christmas tree, Angela finds herself wanting to create a memorable holiday for them. Can these visitors become the family she longs for? For those who believe in miracles, anything is possible--even true love, in the most unlikely circumstances.

UNTIL THE LAST STAR BURNS OUT (Excerpt)

Excerpt from my short story, UNTIL THE LAST STAR BURNS OUT, a free read with The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.comSam Johnson has returned from the States War a changed man. Can Leah's love make him whole again?“I’ll love you forever, Leah Ross,” he’d told her. “Until the last star in the sky burns out. And that’ll never happen.”

She’d been eleven, and he thirteen. Twelve years, he’d held her heart. She’d thought she needed to salvage the pieces of her shredded love and go her own way. But the way he’d just looked at her changed everything.

She had wanted him back the way he was when they’d married—five long years earlier, before this wretched war had ruined every plan they’d made in those sweet, dark hours of night as they’d lain together, spent and sated. Making love with her was like coming home, he’d told her once in those early times.

Yet, he had not reached for her during the night since he’d been back. He held himself apart from her, silent and brooding in his lonely agony.

Now, with that one look, Leah understood everything. It would never be like it had before. They were both different people, and she could only hope the love remained, as strong and true as it had been since the first time Sam had kissed her on the banks of Boggy Creek. The day he’d promised to love her until the stars burned out.

“Let’s go to bed,” she whispered. The blatant invitation beneath the innocent words brought warmth to her cheeks.

Instant denial flared in his eyes. She didn’t miss the quick glance he gave his hands, and she knew what he was thinking—that they were bloodied forever, not fit to touch her. Her heart twisted as she remembered the young boy who’d so solemnly declared his love for her, the serious duty-bound man she’d married. The war-ravaged soldier who now sat hollowly across from her was not that man. Did she possess what was needed to bring Sam—her Sam—back?

The words he’d written haunted her not only for the love they steadfastly proclaimed, but also for the sanity he’d mentioned, and had held so closely guarded. What had he seen, these past years? What had he done? A fearsome thought threaded through her soul. He’d spent a year in a Union prison camp. What had been done to him? Maybe that was why he’d lost every shred of faith in humanity—even in his own.

Even in hers, it seemed.

She swallowed hard, knowing she may have to say some things that cut him, to re-open some old wounds and let them bleed clean to help him find his way back to her. The man who wrote such lovely things, who held those memories so dear in his heart, was still inside him. Somewhere.

When he’d left his post as a U.S. Marshal to join the ranks of the Confederacy, she’d somehow known he would return to her. She’d thanked God for sending him home unscathed, but he’d been scarred badly in a way she never imagined.

Leah steeled herself, her heart pounding. It was not in her to be cruel, but she’d never run from anything. She would fight to bring Sam back.

“You may not remember how to love, but I do, Sam.” She unbuttoned her blouse.

His dark eyes flashed anger at her words. The blouse drifted to the floor, followed by her stays, and he sat forward, a spark of desire leaping into his expression. His eyes pierced her soul with a look of loss and love, of hope, and of despair of ever finding what he searched for again.

“Leah.” His voice was almost a growl.

The fire cracked and popped behind her, and she reached to unfasten her skirt and petticoats.

“We’ve slept together for a month now. You’ve held yourself away from me, even in sleep, as if you think you’re tainted somehow. As if you think you aren’t worthy.”

The skirt and petticoats joined the blouse on the floor, and she stripped off her pantalettes and stockings quickly before she lost her nerve.

Sam tugged at his shirt collar, his gaze never leaving her. “Christ, Leah,” he whispered hoarsely.She held her hand out to him, and after a moment’s hesitation, he took it. As he stood up, Leah heard his shallow breathing, ragged and uneven. Her lips curved upward.

He held himself taut and tense, and she reached for the first button at the front of his chambray shirt.

“It’s Christmas Eve, in case you didn’t realize it,” she said quietly.

“I realized.”

WHAT AM I WORKING ON?--November 2010

I finished another western historical called Gabriel's Law, and it's under consideration with Berkley right now. It's a story about a young half-breed Comanche gunfighter who becomes involved with a young woman from his past. But is it love or obligation that keeps him at Allie Taylor's ranch? As she opens her home to eighteen orphan boys and tries to give them a place in the world by becoming cattle ranchers, Brandon Gabriel will have to decide if he will be able to quell his restless side and become part of her dream, or if he'll walk out of her life forever.

My contemporary WIP is called "OF DREAMS FORGOTTEN." A young woman, Kendi Morgan, hears a truck motor running one cold fall night. Determined to stop the high school pranksters from partying on her property one more night, she heads to the creek to make them leave. But when she gets there, she witnesses a "murder", or so she believes at first. Rather than high school kids, she comes upon the "execution" of a member of a drug ring...only, he's not dead. She has become an unwitting witness to a federal drug sting gone awry and now must save herself and the man she's brought home with her. But choices are never easy, especially since she's falling in love... Can Gage Chandlerbe trusted? Kendi's brother's life is at stake--and so is her heart.I also have a short story in the works right now for an upcoming anthology with Victory Tales Press. It's for the "western saga" anthology.